the Adobe presets delivered with LR4 for sharpening include a command line which forces a switch to the new process engine "2012" or ProcessVersion = "6.7". I do not understand why Adobe allows a general preset to include a process version change command.

As a result, these sharpening presets can not be used on photos from an older LR3.x catalog without affecting the exposure or brightness - if you do, the picture exposure or brightness or whatever is set to lower settings, the histogram shows a darkening of about 2/3 aperture. Unfortunately, as the exposure changes, no slider or number value of the exposure, brightness etc. do change - very inconsistent.

In case you would choose to develop an older photo in LR4.1 and first use the update icon button right of the picture to update the photo to process version 2012, then the picture will convert without changes in exposure (to the new process version) and then, the sharpening preset will not alter the exposure.

Also, it is hard to understand that the command line in the preset has a different effect on the picture compared to the update button.

Presets seem to be dependent on certain process versions. No consideration is visible in the software for upgrade or change management of presets vs. process versions. A hard switch by command line does not to the job - this command line should not be in the preset. OR - the presets have to be named "LR4.1 PV2012 presets only".

I consider this behaviour to be a bug or nonconformity of the software.

* what exactly happens if you DO put the process version in a preset, when applied to a different process version (does it matter if there are pv-specific settings in it?..).
* what exactly happens if you DON'T put the process version in a preset, when preset contains pv-specific settings and is applied to a different process version.

I had problems in the early days (don't remember details), and my workaround was:
* NEVER include a process version in a preset.
* ALWAYS identify pv-specific presets by folder and/or filename.
* Be careful to never apply presets of one pv to photos of another (convert first, if need be, when applying a pv-specific preset).

My sense is that this is NOT was intended by having the process version in a preset, gauging from the fact that the "update preset" and "create preset" dialogs almost force you to include it. Nevertheless, I don't trust Lr to do the right thing.

Has this "bug" been fixed? Can I stop being so paranoid? Or is it the same today as it was way back when?